The yusho race ends with a playoff, and a solid day of sumo action. For those of you who read the preview, it seems Asanoyama’s kami did manage to make it back to the Kokugikan in time, but was limping and had a black eye.
The playoff ended with a henka, which was a big disappointment to me. I am sure the YDC will have some grumpy words about that soon enough, as they are quick to criticize such developments. The 2023 Aki basho was indeed a “Wacky Aki” with a Maegashira 15, in his second posting to the top division, achieving a yusho dotten result. Granted, the yusho was a stinky 11-4 win, but someone had to take home the cup.
Congratulations to Takakeisho for your 4th Emperor’s Cup, and for setting the stage to possibly reach Yokozuna by the new year.
Highlight Matches
Nishikifuji defeats Mitakeumi – Not sure where the Mitakeumi from the prior 14 days was today, but he just sort of went “sack of potatoes” and let Nishikifuji have the yorikiri. Nishikifuji with a final day win ends the tournament 5-10.
Endo defeats Kotoshoho – Endo worked very hard to make something happen with that right hand inside, and points to Kotoshoho for shutting it down each and every time. But Endo being Endo, he decided his left hand could do the job too, and flattened Kotoshoho with a kirikaeshi. Nice to see that move, and well executed to boot. Endo finishes Aki 9-6.
Myogiryu defeats Kinbozan – Veteran Myogiryu scores a final day win by over powering Kinbozan in a rapid fight that sent the Kinbozan into one of the shimpan. Not the last shimpan to get a visitor today. Myogiryu’s final record is 10-5 winning by yoritaoshi.
Midorifuji defeats Aoiyama – I had hoped for one last katasukashi, and Midorifuji delivered. I am surprised that Aoiyama did not do more to prevent it. The match was over in a moment, with Midorifuji finishing 10-5, and Aoiyama at real risk of being relegated to Juryo for the first time since 2018
Kagayaki defeats Oho – Kagayaki assumes and maintains such poor body position through this whole match, it’s a shame that Oho did not just slap him down. In spite of Kagayaki’s awkward stumbling sumo today, he manages to apply an oshidashi and take the match. Both men finish Aki 5-10.
Chiyoshoma defeats Ryuden – No farewell henka from Chiyoshoma, rather a smooth and well executed kotenage at the third step. Actually nicely done. Chiyoshoma boards the Juryo barge of the Damned with a 3-12.
Onosho defeats Tsurugisho – Onosho only loses his matches against Tsurugisho when Onosho gets too far forward. It looked like Tsurugisho was going to try to set that up, but Tsurugisho’s switch from forward to back hit a misstep, and Onosho drove him out. Onosho finishes Aki 9-6.
Sadanoumi defeats Shonannoumi – First of the Darwin matches goes to Sadanoumi, who landed a right hand frontal mawashi grip at the tachiai, and had Shonannoumi out three steps later. Sadanoumi kachi-koshi at 8-7 for a final score, Shonannoumi make-koshi at 7-8.
Takanosho defeats Daishoho – Daishoho gets a big charge forward, tries a pull hands the match to Takanosho. Sort of sad after that solid tachiai. Takanosho’s final score for Aki is 6-9.
Hiradoumi defeats Tamawashi – Hiradoumi achieved excellent hand placement, including a hazu-oshi to finish pushing Tamawashi out of the ring. Hiradoumi’s final score for Aki 6-9. Tamawashi limped through the basho to 2-13, but kept his spotless attendance record.
Shodai defeats Takarafuji – Shodai actually showed good sumo today, boxing in Takarafuji and never really letting him get into an active defense mode. I think Takarafuji thought Shodai was going to go for a yorikiri, but pivoted into an uwatenage. The second Darwin match ends with Shodai kachi-koshi at 8-7, Takarafuji make-koshi at 7-8.
Asanoyama defeats Atamifuji – The big match to start the second half, Asanoyama had his right hand inside before the second step, and at that point it was all over except the final step over the bales. Atamifuji is young, he’s inexperienced, and has acres of talent. A future version of himself will have that left hand ottsuke he needed today to win this match. He ends Aki with a blistering 11-4, and will face someone in a playoff for the yusho.
Meisei defeats Kotoeko – Kotoeko really had no offense in this match, and Meisei was able to box him in and run him out. Good forward pressure by Meisei, which was quickly converted to an oshidashi. He finishes Aki 7-8.
Abi defeats Hokutofuji – Hokutofuji’s opening nodowa is easy to predict, and we got to see Abi shut it down at the tachiai. The resulting off balance position was perfect for the hatakikomi that followed a moment later, dropping Hokutofuji to the clay. Abi finishes Aki with a 9-6 record.
Gonoyama defeats Tobizaru – I love that Gonoyama was able to finish the basho with a strong win. Sadly it seems Tobizaru’s exit from the ring injured one of the shimpan, who had to be helped out of the venue. I expect we are going to see a lot more good sumo from Gonoyama in the next year. He ends Aki 9-6.
Ura defeats Nishikigi – Ura goes to the nodowa again today, and it likewise seems to work with massive effect, setting Nishikigi up for an immediate tottari that drops him to the clay. Thus ends Nishikigi’s magical mystery tour of the san’yaku at 5-10, while Ura finishes Aki at 9-6.
Kotonowaka defeats Wakamotoharu – A delightful match as the two Sekiwake battle it out. Wakamotoharu had the better grip to start, and maintained it throughout the match. The final exchange was each man trying to lift the other out, with Kotonowaka proving to be the stronger, and scoring a final day win by yoritaoshi. Both end Aki 9-6.
Hoshoryu defeats Hokuseiho – Hoshoryu manages to reach kachi-koshi on the final day by toppling the Miyagino giant in a slow motion watashikomi. Had I been at the Kokugikan, I would have shouted “TIMBEERRRRR!”. Hoshoryu needs to get his sumo in working order, as beating an M11 on the final day for your kachi-koshi is not how this is supposed to work. But he did get the job done. He ends Aki 8-7.
Takakeisho defeats Daieisho – Takakeisho always beats Daieisho, but Daieisho gave him a great fight. Once Takakeisho is able to disrupt Daieisho’s attack pattern, he gets Daieisho turned and shoves him out by okuridashi. Takakeisho ends Aki 11-4 and qualifies for the yusho playoff.
Kirishima defeats Takayasu – Takayasu’s sumo looked good today, he just did not have the balance to maintain his footing when Kirishima was able to land lateral thrusts. I note that Kirishima also kept his feet closer to the clay, where we saw Takayasu with more vertical steps. Once Takayasu was off balance, a thrust to the side finished him by hikiotoshi, giving Kirishima a final day win and a score of 9-6.
Yusho Playoff
Takakeisho defeats Atamifuji – Takakeisho henka! Not sure that was what anyone was hoping for, and it kind of left a foul odor to end this tournament. But he did win it in somewhat inglorious style. Perhaps he was hurt in that match with Daieisho. We will likely never know. Takakeisho wins his 4th title, and sets up his second chance at Yokozuna this year.
With that, dear readers, we end our daily coverage of the Aki basho for 2023. It has been a treat and a pleasure to bring you previews and highlights this September. Please follow Tachiai on the run up to the final basho of the year, coming in November. I will have a few things to say about sumo, it’s fans and this site before I sign off in the coming days. Thank you for spending Aki with us, we appreciate all of you who take the time to read our site, and to comment on our content. See you again soon!
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I don’t know what to think. The Yusho winner was a kadoban ozeki who had to henka in a playoff vs a newbie on his way to a mediocre 11-4 record which in reality was 10-5 because he was gifted a match early in the tournament. Keisho shouldn’t even be there in the first place but if we go that rabbit hole we will never come out.
Good for him though as I am a takakeisho fan but I hope the Yokozuna talks are finally muted, I wouldn’t make him Yokozuna even if he won the next basho 13-2. For me to consider it Hakuho, Raiden, Bruce Lee and godzilla would have to compete in the next Basho and takakeisho would have to destroy them all at the same time on to a 15-0 record for me to even consider making him a Yokozuna.
Midorifuji was awesome this tourney. Thank you so much for the daily email content! As always
For the lulz, in November I want another Takakeisho 11-4 playoff yusho with at least one henka somewhere in there just to see what the YDC (which is officially just advisory) and the NSK do about it — especially in light of Teru’s as yet unofficial retirement (or so I believe).
Thank you so much!
Thank you for the excellent coverage. I look forward to the November tournament.
Ugh. What a wet thud of an ending to an otherwise fun tournament. I look forward to seeing what Atamifuji, Gonoyama, and other young rikishi bring to the next basho. I suspect we’re going to have a good bit of turnover in the top division too.
Most importantly, thank you so much, Bruce. Your writing here has always been a highlight in my sumo experience. I wish you and your family well and hope to hear from you again in the future.
My 11 year old son and I watched the whole Makushita brawl, Juryo and Makuuchi finale, hell we even watched some Jonidan, for it all to end it a slimy little henka from the top dog Ozeki. Arlo beat cushions to the ground for five minutes as we both shouted b$lls&!t!!! to Takakeisho on our screens.
That was The Empire Strikes Back of bashos. We wait in darkness for the Rebel Alliance to regroup and save Sumo from the Sith lords in November.
What a stinker ! A win by henka is a complete disgrace moreover in the playoffs ! I was already not very “high” on Takakeisoho but this garbage victory does it for me. He should never be consider for anything more than Ozeki. Period !
Stubby is a scumbag.
Will go down in history as the Scumbag Yusho
Am I thinking of someone else, or didn’t Hamster pull a henka the last time going into a Playoff? It wasn’t the play-off, like this time, it was the regulation match.
Not happy with how this basho ended.
On another note, Thank you Bruce for the wonderful coverage. I do hope that some day down the road you will find life settling, and the time and energy to return. Best of luck. {{hugs}}
Bruce, thanks a lot for your daily blogs.
Sumo will not be the same, without reading your preview and highlights.
Takakeisho, Henka in the playoff, against M15, unacceptable from my point of view.
It was very sad to see Atamifuji crying after the playoff loss.
Thanks to Team Tachiai for all the excellent coverage. I had fun and was enlightened.
Abi’s a huge bitch, Keisho’s weak coward, ura rlly honed his sumo like maybe learned from midori who’s a b.a, also guess wmh’s steroids ain’t enuf 4 the hostess w the mostest kotonowaka who proved he’s 4real
Bruce, if this is indeed your final tournament, I want to thank you for the excellent writing and coverage you have provided for the last many years. I have always been a fan of some of your metaphors (Ichinojo: Bridge Abutment”) and enjoyed our meeting in Brooklyn a number of years back. Best wishes and I will always hope you come back!
if the ydc really validates a henka’ed 11-4 yusho as sufficient qualification step 1 for the promition for the rope, this council just makes a yoke out himself. takakeisho will remain at maximum ozeki material, now and until the distant future …
After 1987 all the Yokozuna promotions have happened with 26+ wins in the last two bashos as Ozeki before the promotion. Unless Takakeisho wins in November with 15-0, the promotion would happen with the weakest record in decades, or we might see the first denial of Yokozuna promotion with two consecutive Yushos as Ozeki since it happened to Chiyonoyama in 1950, when they had only 3 tournaments a year.
Cheap move by Takakeisho, and I also lost respect for Hiro for gushing over it on NHK. First it was “”great lateral mobility!” and then he back pedals to “It isn’t the quality of the win that matters!” Murray would not have gone along with that.
But Atamifuji made massive strides in his ability to handle the stress of being in the top division, and I look forward to more from him in future.
Hoshoryu’s winning move was super-cool and I hope he’s hit his stride again. Endo’s leg thing was also very cool. Gonoyama and Tobizaru’s match was fun to watch, hope the shimpan is okay.
Bruce, I think I’ve read every post you’ve made on this blog for the past 6 years. I can never thank you enough. (And just today, thanks to your reference to the 7 Wonders of Honho, I learned about the Foot-Washing Mansion!) I will miss them but rejoice if and when you do post again. All joy, health and rest to you and your family.
I enjoyed it. Thanks.
Atamifuji reminds me much of Tokorshoryu and I recall the drubbing he gave Keisho in that famous henka-less play-off three years ago.
Could the YDC deny Takakeisho a promotion for a poor performance with a Henka win were he to win in November? OR get a strong Jun Yusho? I’d think he’s going to need to turn in a VERY powerful performance for him to be considered for anything less than a Yusho win, but still, would they deny him for such a lack luster performance this time?
They could deny him the promotion even if he gets 6 zensho Yusho in a year, if they conclude that he lacks the „character“ for a Yokozuna. Even without that they could just deny it on base of 11–4 just being too weak a result, Yusho or not. Those criteria aren’t set in stone.